This aerial photograph, taken above a forest in Brandenburg, Germany could be the first evidence we have that Hitler and his chronies were just the first wave in a coming Nazi alien invasion….or it could just be a long forgotten Swastika symbol created by plain old terrestrial Nazis in the thirties. Legend has it that in 1937 either nervous locals created it to prove their loyalty, or that local Hitler Youth did it as a birthday present for Uncle Adolf.

Either way, the thing is pretty ingenious. The massive swastika is made up of 100 Larch Trees and is only visible when the Larch Trees start to change color during fall, starkly contrasting against pine green. The clever, temporary effect helped it remain forgotten and unnoticed through the falls of both Nazism and Communism (it doesn’t hurt that it can only be seen from the air either).

In 1992, a plane taking pictures of state land snapped a shot of the roughly 60 foot swastika. The photos of the symbol caused quite a stir in the German press and lead the Brandenburg local government to remove just under half of the Larch trees in 1995, in an attempt to obscure the symbol while preserving as much nature as possible. They didn’t want the patch of trees to become a hot spot for Nazis frolicking in the woods. As you can see from the photo above (taken in November, 2000), they didn’t obscure it enough. A second tree removal attempt in December of 2000 finally ruined the swastika for good.

-If you are more fascinated by hidden swastikas than by hidden mickeys check out this Herald Tribune Article about another massive swastika in Tash-Bashat, Kyrgyzstan